Stealth Socks

Taking the Blackthorn Needles for a test-drive:



I don't understand what these are made from--Carbon Fiber Composite. They're not wood--but they feel like bamboo. They're not steel--but they're very strong and feel as if they won't snap. It's the same material that the Blackbird Stealth Jet is made from. So I guess I'll be knitting so fast that radar won't detect the needles.

I cast on for a pair of Pilates socks. Since they're short and toe-less and heel-less, this should be a quick knit. I just want to get a feel for the needles. The touch is warm and the drag is just right. Not slippery or sticky. And the point is perfect for me--good and pointy.

I seem to have a love/hate relationship with dpns. I learned to knit socks on dpns, moved to two circulars and then changed over to magic loop. Swore I would never use dpns again. But, here I am with dpns and, so far, I'm loving them!

What a Weekend!

Kudos to Vogue Knitting for organizing this. This was their first time doing such a thing and, despite some kinks, it was a fabulous weekend! Hosting 3,000 people in New York City can't be easy. But they pulled it off.

I loved catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones. Thursday afternoon, I sat in the hotel's lobby and chatted with knitters from upstate NY, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Maryland and from a few blocks away. Lots of chatting, a few drinks, busy knitting hands.



Friday morning, I was up and out the door by dawn and wondered why the heck I was out so early on such a snowy day.



This is why!



Leslye Solomon teaching Continental Knitting. Terrific class--fabulous teacher! (More about this during the week.)

Later the same day--the marketplace opened. About 50 or so vendors on two levels.





Yarn? Though there was incredible, beautiful yarn---I really don't need any more yarn. But there was more than yarn at the marketplace. My major purchases were needles--the Signature needles in the two new sizes and Blackthorn dpns.



Um. . .yes, there's yarn in the photo, too. I couldn't resist a bit of yarn--Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool--that was practically a steal!

On Saturday, met some out-of-town friends for an early lunch. It was so early, it was really breakfast. And I took another class--Fixing Mistakes in Lace Knitting with Brooke Nico. This was another excellent class with the most wonderful teacher. Brooke took away a lot of the scary from lace knitting for me.

But I don't have any photos!

But picture this:
A hotel room converted into a classroom. A table in the middle of the room with two table lamps on it. (Terrible lighting for knitting.) A dozen knitters ripping out nine partial rows of their lace sample and then knitting them up again. Brooke was a patient and attentive teacher and I can't wait to make some mistakes in my knitting so I can use her technique.

On Saturday, I also went to a Vogue Knitting fashion show:

I'll make this dress when I grow another 12 inches and lose 100 pounds!



This sweater is so pretty. The back of it is all smocking.



A beach cover-up that will be in the Summer 2011 magazine.



And then there was the real-life fashion show:







So many talented people in one place!

Vogue Knitting will be bringing this event to Los Angeles, CA in September--but, I do hope they also come back to NYC!

Happy 5th Birthday!

OOOOOOH! Balloons! There must be a party going on!



Lots of guests



CAKE! Two different types--and snacks, too.



Pearl-- the gracious hostess.



My party favors--a free pattern and a tchotchke box



And a gift for me from me to celebrate Knitty City's 5th birthday.



Knitty City is such terrific yarn store! Over the past five years, I've asked countless questions, bought I'm-afraid-to-think-of-how-much yarn and have taken some great classes. I often wonder if I'd be knitting if this store hadn't opened. I probably would be--but it wouldn't be as much fun.

First FO of 2011

I finished this a week ago. It's Anne Hanson's Cabled Keyhole Scarf. The yarn is Zara in off-white. I did one extra repeat in the length of the scarf.

Anne published this pattern in December and already there's six pages in Ravelry. It's a quick and fun project that many are calling their "potato chip scarf" because you can't knit just one!

Seen in NYC

Nice-looking hat being worn by a woman who was knitting on a bus. However, she didn't make this hat--her friend did.



I like the houndstooth check. Here's a link to the stitch.

I like the stitch so much, I had to make a swatch. (No projects are in mind--just wanted to practice the stitch. However, there's three pages of houndstooth patterns in Ravelry. . .

Another Snowy Day

Another snowy day here in NYC. However, this time, I won't see anybody skiing down the street.

(Photo was taken on 12/27--after the blizzard of 20 inches of snow.)


Today's snow was short-lived and we only had a dusting of about an inch and a half.



Carrying an umbrella in the snow--this is something I just don't get it! Never saw such a thing till I moved to NYC.

In the photo, you can also see piles of garbage on the sidewalk. Because of the blizzard, my block hasn't had a garbage pick-up since before Christmas. (The Sanitation trucks double as snow plows. When the workers plow, they don't pick-up the garbage.)

After getting chores done early this afternoon, it was then a good day to get caught up with some neglected knitting



That's Ann Hanson's Cabled Keyhole Scarf. Cute and quick. A lot like this snowfall.